Increasing nucleation activity with lichens and fungi

Abstract

The disclosure is directed to increasing ice nucleation activity of liquids and gases by using lichens, fungi, and ice nuclei derived from lichen fungi. The invention is particularly useful for snowmaking, cloud seeding, and other industrial freezing and cooling processes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for increasing ice nucleation activity of an aqueous liquid comprising adding a suitable member selected from the group consisting of lichens, fungi derived from lichens, ice nuclei derived from lichens, and ice nuclei derived from fungi derived from lichens   to the aqueous liquid; wherein the temperature at which ice nucleation activity occurs is at a temperature above a temperature at which ice nucleation activity occurs for the aqueous liquid without the selected suitable member.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected suitable member comprises a lichen selected from the group consisting of the genera Rhizoplaca, Xanthoparmelia, Xanthoria, Platismatia, Acarospora, Leptogium, Psora, Letharia, Peltigera, and Usnea. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected suitable member comprises a lichen fungus selected from the group consisting of the genera Rhizoplaca, Xanthoparmelia, Xanthoria, Platismatia, Acarospora, Leptogium, Psora, Letharia, Peltigera, and Usnea. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected suitable member comprises a fungus selected from the group consisting of an Antarctic endolith, Rhizoplaca Cladonia, Pertussaria, Lecanora, Phaeographis, and Acarospora. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of lowering the temperature of the liquid containing the selected suitable member until ice nucleation activity occurs. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature at which ice nucleation activity occurs is substantially above the temperature at which ice nucleation activity occurs for the liquid without the selected suitable member. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1 wherein ice nucleation activity occurs at above approximately -10° C. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 7 wherein ice nucleation activity occurs at above approximately -5° C. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected suitable member has a nuclei density of above approximately 1×10 3  nuclei per gram. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected suitable member is distributed uniformly throughout the aqueous liquid. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected suitable member is added to the aqueous liquid in at least one form selected from the group consisting of an aqueous suspension and an aqueous solution. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 wherein the selected suitable member is ground prior to adding it to the aqueous liquid.